When Adelaide Formsby-Smythe insults the Duke of Selridge to the point she sees her own murder in his eyes, her wish that the ground would open up and swallow her seems a perfectly reasonable response. Until it does.

Thus, Major Marcus Winfield, now the Duke of Selridge, ends the worst year of his life by falling into an underground cave with the younger sister of his former fiancée. An offense punishable by—marriage!

EVERY MARRIAGE HAS ITS SECRETS –

Although he never imagined marrying Adelaide, Marcus decides they will limp along quite well together. There’s no need to mention he’s being blackmailed… or that his irritating new wife fills his nights with a passion he cannot deny.

Adelaide, however, having unexpectedly married the man of her dreams, will settle for nothing less than her new husband’s heart. She’ll make him love her. Far less bothersome that way when she has to tell him she’s a thief. And possibly a murderess.

AFTER ALL, EVEN THE ROAD TO FOREVER HAS A FEW BUMPS ALONG THE WAY.

My View

This is the first book I have read by this author and It won’t be the last I found it witty, thrilling and a oh, so sexy tale of what is a marriage of convenience which turns into something else. There are twists and turns and a fabulous plot that keeps you gripped from page one.

I love the first scene, it sets up the rest of the story perfectly. It is engrossing and extremely funny especially when they are having a good bicker about who got who lost, who’s fault it is they ended up in a cave, him rolling his eyes at her constant chatting and her having a good laugh at his expense even when it looks like he wants to throttle her. This is so amusing.

“…and the reason I had the utter temerity to ask if we were lost is because we have passed that outcropping of rock six times in the last hour.” “You counted?” He managed to sound both outraged and incredulous at the same time. “I had little else to do, sir. Your conversation, the scintillating series of grunts and nods that it was, simply did not occupy my mind enough to prevent me from noticing we have been driving around in circles.”

Another reason I love this has to be the scenery, OK I may be a bit biased but my goodness me Cornel has done an outstanding job at capturing just how beautiful and bleak Yorkshire is. She has created the most amazing quote that I will be carrying around with me for a long time to come.

“There are not enough flowers in Yorkshire to tell you how much I love you. My life is as empty as the moors in winter without you”

Adelaide has loved Marcus since the minute she saw him across the ball room dressed in his military splendour, he is by far the most beautiful and dashing man she had ever set eyes on – but then again who’s head wouldn’t be turned by a dashing military man in uniform? unfortunately for her, he has eyes set her very shallow sister.

Marcus went off to war but on his return he finds that his fiancée has called off the wedding, he is now the Duke and he is wounded and last thing he wants is to be trapped in a cave with the sister of the woman who broke his heart, and her incessant chattering. He is in pain in both mind and body he has got secrets that he needs to keep and he has his match making mother plotting his next engagement. He knows that he has to marry eventually but he would have preferred to pick his wife, so when the villagers and their families find that he and Addy have been trapped together for the night in cave then he must o the honourable thing and marry her.

At least he will get his much-needed heir.

Marcus is a gruff and incredibly attractive man, I have always had a thing for wounded, fragile military men and my-oh-my! Marcus is a real charmer. He has secrets that he doesn’t want anyone to know about, especially the part about him being blackmailed. I adore how uncomfortable he is in the simplest situations, like talking to Addy and his mother. But yet when they are falling from their carriage into a deep dark cave his military instincts take over and he really shows what an Incredible man he is.

“Don’t worry, Marcus,” she said. “Your virtue is safe with me.”“Damn.” He shook his head in mock sorrow. “Pity, that.” Her breath wisped across his sleeve in an exaggerated sigh. “Indeed.”“I daresay there shall be enough of a scandal without it once we are rescued.” He liked her head resting on his shoulder. “Do you really think so, Marcus? How splendid. I’ve always wanted to be scandalous.”

Adelaide can not think of anything worse than being forced to marry just for propriety’s sake, even if he is the only man she has ever loved but to have him say that t they will limp along well enough is too much to bare. She finally accepts his proposal, after making him suffer first! But she is adamant that they will not simply limp along, they will have a happy and loving marriage, which should surely be easier to achieve than revealing her secrets to Marcus.

I love Marcus’s mother, the Dowager Duchess she is a hoot she has the best one liners that I have read for a whole she is just hilarious. The way she not only managers her gruff son in a way that makes him believe everything was his idea is pure brilliance. She holds nothing back she tells him exactly what she thinks of him and if that means she’s calling him a stupid fool then so be it, the Dowager Duchess is the epitome of match maker and I honestly believe every Historical Romance should have a one. Such a superb character and such a hell raiser too if she were in the Edwardian era she would definitely be a suffragette.

“Need I remind you, you are no longer a soldier? You are a duke. You could have said no.”“My dear Miss Formsby-Smythe, you’ve met my mother. Napoleon himself could not tell my mother no.”

This has everything and there isn’t a bad part of this, I love every bit of it, it’s utterly charming, sensual thrilling and loving. Cornell has created this immensely seductive and exciting tale that is not just your typical marriage of convenience Historical Romance but with the added murder, blackmail and thieving sub plots this keeps you gripped and begging for more and crying when it’s finished because you want more of the fabulous Addy and Marcus.

The plot is a stunner, its exciting and you genuinely care about the characters and your cheering them on as they make their way through the he book. It is sexually charged the pent-up emotion between our couple sizzles, it’s a resounding success and I can not wait to read more of the “Road to Forever Series” from this talented lady.

I love it to bits, it’s just perfect!

This was a complimentary copy via the author in exchange for an honest review.

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